Figure Life Out
by FlamboyantlyBiBoy
Summary: Andromeda was never a normal child. Her mom worked all the time. Her dad had left. Her step-dad hated her. She just hated being a girl. One-sided Percy/Luke, Percy/Nico,one-sided Percy/Jason, Percy/Thalia "experimenting". Slash, transgender, suicide talk. DISCONTINUED! I might start doing the trans!Percy theme again with HoO. I don't know when it'll happen if it does.
1. Unpretty

**Title: **Unpretty

**Author: **FlamboyantlyBiBoy

**Feedback: **Yes please

**Summary:** Andromeda was never a normal child. Her mom worked all the time. Her dad had left. Her step-dad hated her. She just hated being a girl.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Percy Jackson or the characters

**Spoilers: **Nope.

**Pairing: **One-sided Percy/Luke, possible Percy/Nico

**Warnings: **Slash, transgender, attempted suicide.

**Author's Note: **This is a topic that really means something to me, and I'm extremely excited to finally write something with it.

**ENJOY!**

I wish I could tie you up in my shoes

Make you feel unpretty too

I was told I was beautiful

But what does that mean to you

Look into the mirror who's inside there

The one with the long hair

Same old me again today

I stood in front of the mirror that cold December day. My mom was yelling something at her husband (no my dad. He would never be my dad), and Gabe was yelling right back. They thought I was still safe and sound in bed since I didn't have to go to school. They didn't know that I hardly ever slept anymore.

My whole body was numb, but still moving. Absentmindedly, I was brushing my waist length, black hair until it shone. I hated my hair, but mom wouldn't let me cut it. She said that I could get it short once my body started to mature. She didn't want me to look like a boy. I never bothered to tell her that I was a boy. There was already signs of puberty on my naked, eleven year old body. Pubic hair, acne and slightly budding chests were the most obvious.

An hour later, I stepped into our living room fully dressed. Gabe's poker buddies were already there, but I paid them no mind while walking to the kitchen.

Mom was standing there beautiful as ever. Her main of dark brown hair was pulled back in a ribbon and she had on her Candy Counter work clothes. As soon as she saw me there was a smile on her lips, "Good morning, Ann."

"Morning, mom." I answered as brightly as I could, "Are you working today?"

That was a stupid question that she didn't even need to answer; mom was always working. I'm sure that's one of the reasons she sent me to boarding schools. There I didn't have to put up with Gabe when I got home.

"You're looking very pretty today." Mom set down a plate of blue, chocolate chip pancakes for me, "Are you going anywhere?"

"My friend from school is suppose to be in the city today and I was hoping to hang out with him." I answered, and had expected what mom had said next.

"A boy?" She wore a childish grin now, "What's his name?"

"Grover Underwood, and he's just a friend." I answered quickly, and it was true that I had no feelings for Grover beyond brotherly, "We were just going to go to the park."

"Alright, make sure you have your phone with you." Mom seemed almost disappointed that my relationship with Grover wasn't anything more.

"Got it." I told her as I finished eating, and headed out the door. My phone was always with me, even though I was only allowed to send mom texts that were normally horridly misspelled because of my dyslexia.

My outsides are cool

My insides are blue

Everytime I think I'm through

It's because of you

I've tried different ways

But it's all the same

At the end of the day

I have myself to blame

I'm just trippin'

Grover was waiting for me at Time square. We were planning on walking down Broadway so he could see what shows were playing. If my mom had known where we were going, then I would be stuck at home all day. Luckily, I had turned into an expert on lying to her.

"There you are." Grover's voice was already deepened and he was growing facial hair. The only sixth grade boy to have any. I always found myself jealous of Grover being such a…male.

"Sorry, mom wouldn't let me leaving without eating and started bothering me when I told her I was hanging out with a boy." I laughed like the idea was insane.

Grover just smiled. He was wearing jeans and his foster home slash camp t-shirt. Camp Half-Blood. I never bothered to ask about it since he never talked about it, and I wasn't one to open up an emotional conversation.

We'd only known each other for a semester, but he was already the closest friend I had. I had told him everything, and now Grover was the one person besides myself to see the male in me. That had been the one emotional talk we'd had, but I knew it wouldn't be the last.

"Have you talked to your mom about it yet?" Grover spoke was we started down Broadway. It was like he was reading my mind.

"No, I can't do it, dude." I was watching my feet, "How am I suppose to say that your little Andromeda is actually the Perseus in her story?"

"Like that," Grover suggested while his eyes darted along the street, "But without the alliteration."

I shrugged, and we kept walking. The wind was ripping through my jacket and there was snow on the ground. As we got to the end of the street, the two of us agreed to slip into a Starbucks to get hot chocolate.

The drink was making my throat blister, but I didn't care. Eventually, we ended up at the park. Guess I didn't lie to mom.

You can buy your hair if it won't grow

You can fix your nose if he says so

You can buy all the make-up that M.A.C. can make

But if you can't look inside you

Find out who am I to

Be in a position to make me feel so damn unpretty

At noon, me and Grover parted ways. I decided to stop at mom's work on the way back to our apartment. The shop always smelled sweet, and inviting.

"Hey, Ann." Mom smiled at me, "How'd your date go?"

"It wasn't a date. We were just hanging out." I protested.

"Alright, but I wanted to talk to you." That was never a good thing coming from my mother.

"About what?" I asked, sitting down on one of the bar stools.

"You're getting older, and turning into a beautiful young woman," This was going to be a fun talk, "I was just thinking that we should go make-up shopping before you go back to school."

Of course make-up! In mom's mind, every girl should wearing it by that age of twelve and die with that stuff still on. I should have know this talk was coming. Unluckily for me, we were the only ones in the shop.

"I-I don't need any." I muttered.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ann, every little girl dreams of getting her first batch of make-up. It's a sign of growing up." Mom argued.

That's the moment when my heart and mind finally connected in a single sentence, "Maybe I don't want to be a girl!"

"Andromeda, you don't know what your saying." Mom looked around the empty shop like she didn't want somebody to see her freak daughter.

"I know exactly what I'm saying." My feet landed on the tile floor, "I'm not a girl." In that moment, I turned and ran.

I feel pretty

Oh so pretty

I feel pretty and witty and bright

My heart was pounding. My lungs were broken. My eyes stung. Still, I ran. I ran until I fell on the outskirts of the city. I tried to keep the tears back, but they came still. I knew I couldn't stay there. I couldn't move. Fear was gripping me to my place.

I lay for…I don't even know how long, before the sounds of a car stopping reached my ears.

Never insecure until I met you

Now I'm being stupid

I used to be so acute to me

Just a little bit skinny

Why do I look to all these things

To keep you happy

Maybe get rid of you

And then I'll get back to me

Footsteps came toward me in the crunching snow. I panicked for a second, before relaxing in hope that whoever it was would go away.

"Percy?" Grover's voice came drifting to me in the wind. I was thinking that I was hearing things. There was snow seeping through my jeans, and I was started to shake. My body going numb.

"Percy!" My best friend's voice was more earnest this time, and I actually looked up. There he was above me. Grover's brown, curly haired head wasn't staying still.

"I-I told my mom." I murmured, "I-I just ran off."

"Oh, Percy." Grover glanced back at a white van, "Come on, we'll give you a ride back to your apartment."

"We?" Suddenly, I realized that somebody much be driving.

"Luke was taking me home, but there's a storm coming and you shouldn't walk back to your place in it." My friend's voice had a tone that sounded like he wanted to take care of me. Normally, I'd feel weird about it, but right then I couldn't care less.

I took Grover's offered hand, and he helped me into the van. A blonde boy was in the driver's seat. He looked about eighteen, and was…handsome to say the least.

"Hey, kid." The boy, Luke, turned around, "Where am I taking you?"

I told him the address quickly, and we set off. After a few minutes, Grover asked, "How'd it go? Telling your mom."

Everything came spilling out. I talked without end, and by the time I finished, we were pulling up outside the apartment complex. Grover gave me a gentle hug, before I got out of the van.

As the door closed, I could hear Luke's voice, "That's the demigod you found?"

I saw Grover nod just before they drove off. Luke…he had just caused me to question myself yet again. Was I gay? Sure, the boy's beautiful, but could that really mean that I was attracted to him?


	2. Welcome To My Life

**Title: **Welcome To My Life

**Author: **FlamboyantlyBiBoy

**Feedback: **Yes please

**Summary:** Andromeda was never a normal child. Her mom worked all the time. Her dad had left. Her step-dad hated her. She just hated being a girl.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Percy Jackson or the characters

**Spoilers: **Nope.

**Pairing: **One-sided Percy/Luke, possible Percy/Nico

**Warnings: **Slash, transgender, suicide talk.

**Author's Note: **This is a topic that really means something to me, and I'm extremely excited to finally write something with it. Song: Welcome To My Life by Simple Plan

**ENJOY!**

Do you ever feel like breaking down?

Do you ever feel out of place?

Like somehow you just don't belong

And no one understands you

Do you ever wanna runaway?

Do you lock yourself in your room?

With the radio on turned up so loud

That no one hears you screaming

I woke with a scream, "Mom!" She was gone, and I'd never see her again. That was a hard thought to accept. She had been great since Christmas. We made up, and she made sure that I could go back to school as male. She had even been looking for a therapist that I could start going to. There had been pronoun problems, but I wasn't surprised. Now, my saint mother was gone. I was alone…

The world around me was overflowing with the sounds of happy campers. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the air was masked by the smell of strawberries. It couldn't have been any darker.

"Percy, you're awake." Grover's voice came from beside me, "Thank the Gods you're okay."

I looked over at my best friend. His curly brown hair was damp, and he looked like he'd just taken a shower. Noticing the words on his shirt, I knew where I was. Camp Half-Blood.

"Last night," I murmured, "You had hooves."

"Yeah," He handed me a cup, "Drink this, it'll make you feel better, then we'll go talk to Chiron. He'll explain things better then I could."

I didn't hesitate to drink the odd liquid, even though I probably should have. This was Grover, and I believed that he would never hurt me. What would it matter if I died anyway? There was nothing to live for without my mom. Except…there was. Grover would be up-set, and I had to hope Luke would be too.

"This is your home?" I asked vaguely.

"Yeah, I'll show you around later." Grover sat on the lounge chair next to mine, "But I want to talk to you first. Luke's here."

"I guessed that." I looked out over the green fields.

"You look different now, but he'll still know." Grover looked nervous at bringing up how much I'd changed over Christmas break.

"Would he say anything?" I slipped from the cup he'd given me. It tasted like chocolate chip cookies.

"I don't think so, but you should talk to him just in case."

"I will," I sat up, already feeling better, "But I need to tell you something."

"Anything." Grover leaned forward at the mention of gossip.

"I think I like Luke." I whispered.

"Physical like?" I nodded, "How? You've only been around him once, and he didn't even talk to you."

"I don't understand it, dude, but I think it's there." I leaned back, "I realize that he's a lot older, and that I don't have a chance. This is more…figuring myself out. Don't get me wrong, I'm a boy."

"It's the sexual orientation stuff." Grover finished for me, "I'm here for you, Percy, all the way. Whether your straight or gay or somewhere in between. If you deicide to go back to being Ann, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me for a long tome."

"Thanks." I murmured.

"And, I'm here though this figuring things out stage." Grover playfully messed with my now short hair, "Come on, we need to get you oriented."

No you don't know what it's like

When nothing feels all right

You don't know what it's like

To be like me

My head was spinning. This whole Greek Gods thing was almost too much to take in. The worse thing was that me and Grover had been separated. Without him by my side, I felt completely alone. The weird blonde haired girl wasn't helping.

Annabeth, her name was, child of Athena. The girl didn't shut up, ever. We'd been walking around for almost an hour, and she hadn't stopped. How great camp was, what the campers did, what the Gods did. I was drowning from all her big words that I didn't understand.

Now, I was changing hands. We were heading for the Hermes cabin. My future home. I wasn't sure where Luke was or what I'd say to him, but I was hoping to have free time to do my dirty work.

When we entered Cabin Nine, two different emotions flooded over me. First, panic due to all the people there. Second, relief since Luke's blue eyes were staring straight at me.

"This is Percy," Annabeth introduced me, "He's new, so he'll be in here for-"

"An undetermined amount of time." One of the boys finished.

Luke stood slowly, " Lets be welcoming to Percy, guys. Welcome to Cabin Nine. I'll take care of him from here, Annabeth."

Annabeth nodded, and left. Luke put his arm around me and whispered, "Lets get you some new clothes."

We headed toward the store. I spoke rapidly, "About what you saw at Christmas-"

"I'm not going to tell anybody." Luke told me quickly, almost to quickly.

I sighed in relief, "Thanks."

"It's not my secret to tell. Besides, you've got enough to deal with even without everybody knowing."

Before I could say anything else, we entered the camp store.

To be hurt

To feel lost

To be left out in the dark

To be kicked when you're down

To feel like you've been pushed around

To be on the edge of breaking down

And no one's there to save you

No you don't know what it's like

Welcome to my life

A week later, I stood under a swirling green trident. Everybody in the camp were on their knees around me. My stomach was curling.

This all felt wrong. Why should I-a gangly, tranny, freak-be claimed by a God when so many others haven't? Why did he choose me? Why was I special?

The world around me was falling down. None of this was happening. None of this was real. None of this was my life. I was dreaming.

Do you wanna be somebody else?

Are you sick of feeling so left out?

Are you desperate to find something more?

Before your life is over

Are you stuck inside a world you hate?

Are you sick of everyone around?

With their big fake smiles and stupid lies

While deep inside you're bleeding

"He just passed out." Luke's voice was floating in the air.

"It makes sense," Annabeth's voice came up next to Luke's, "With being thrown into this world without any idea of what he's getting into. Then to get claimed by a God like Poseidon…"

"There's nothing wrong with Poseidon, Annabeth, just because he has a feud with your mom-" Grover was the only one who actually sounded worried.

"I'm not saying there's anything wrong with him, but it must be hard to be the child of a God who's not suppose to have kids."

I shifted slightly, "I'm not suppose to be alive?"

"Percy," Annabeth's voice was chiding, but she was smiling, "I told you that during our tour."

"Sorry, I tuned you out." Hesitantly, I sat up. We were in a cabin, but it hadn't been slept in for centuries.

"Well, welcome to the Poseidon Cabin." Luke smiled a very fake grin.

"Thanks." I answered sarcastically.

Luke got up, "I'm off to bed then."

He left, and I turned to the other two in question. Grover was the one to answer my unspoken pleas with a sense of playfulness, "He wanted to make sure you were okay."

I blushed without meaning to, and Grover smirked knowingly. So, maybe I'd come to like Luke a lot more over the past week.

"I'll leave you two to your gossip." Annabeth got up with a huff, and left before either of us could say anything.

"I think she's pissed about you not paying attention." Grover moved onto the bed with me.

"Oh-no, what a nightmare!"

Grover sighed, and shook his head, "They're going to give you a quest now."

"You going with me?" If Grover was with me, then anything would be possible. I was starting to think he was magic.

"If you want me too."

"Of course I do! There's no way I could go out into the big, bad world without my best friend."

No you don't know what it's like

When nothing feels all right

You don't know what it's like

To be like me

Our first night on the road was torture! Chiron said there had to be three of us, so Annabeth was there too. We slept in trees, and on the ground. I ended up taking second watch.

This thing would have been perfectly fine, if it had just been me and Grover. Even if Luke was with us, then it would have been better. Annabeth didn't know my secret. I had to be careful going to the bathroom, changing, even fighting.

Everything I did, I needed to be careful. Anything could tip her off, and cause my secret to become publicly known at camp.

To be hurt

To feel lost

To be left out in the dark

To be kicked when you're down

To feel like you've been pushed around

To be on the edge of breaking down

And no one's there to save you

No you don't know what it's like

Welcome to my life

By the time we got to Saint Louis, I was tired of hiding.

"I have to tell her, Grover." I whispered as we made our way through the Arch.

Grover glanced at Annabeth in front of use. She was far enough away that was could talk, "Why?"

"She's going to find out eventually between using the bathroom and everything. I just think it would be better if I told her, then her…walking in on something." At that moment, I was trying to convince myself as much as him.

"It's up to you, dude. But what if she doesn't react well, and it ends with everybody at camp knowing?"

I thought over the last semester of school. All the bullying, teasing, becoming an outcast. Grover had been my only friend. I'd gotten in so many fights over the term. Everybody hated me…

"I'd die. I could never go through that again. Would it be that had?"

"I don't know. Maybe, maybe not."

After a second, I whispered, "I can't do it. There's no way I could go through that again."

"It's up to you." Grover shrugged.

No one ever lied straight to your face

No one ever stabbed you in the back

You might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay

Everybody always gave you what you wanted

Never had to work it was always there

You don't know what it's like, what it's like

It was over. I was safe. The world was back to normal. Almost.

As the end of summer approached, a feeling of dread snuck over me. I didn't want to go home. This place was the first place I felt truly…male at. I was home.

"Percy?" Luke came into my cabin the last day of the summer, "You want to go out in the woods to look for something to fight?"

That sounded amazingly good, and soon we were tramping through the woods at the edge of the camp.

We didn't talk as the day progressed, until noon. There was a large rock next to a river. The days were starting to cool, and the water neat by was doing wonders for my mood.

"Percy," Luke spoke suddenly, "We're friends, right?"

I shrugged, "Yeah, sure."

"This…stuff with your…identity…"

"What about it?" Luke was really asking me about Tran sexuality. It seemed so off…unlike him.

"You don't like people knowing your birth name, do you?" The blonde was looking vulnerable, and…older.

"It depends on the person. Grover knows, and I don't care since I know he sees me as a boy. Some other people…I could never tell. It would bother me to no end."

"Do you trust me?"

Those four words sped my heart. While my brain said no, my heart said yes. I know that sounds really cliché , but it's true. Ultimately, my heart won, "Yeah, completely."

"Will you tell me?"

I had no reason to keep it from him. It was just a name, "Andromeda, Ann for short."

"That's why you chose Percy? The same story?" Luke gazed down at the ground as if he were burning holes down to Hades.

"That, ad because the original Perseus actually got a happy ending." I smiled at the thought of having a good ending.

Luke was deep in thought for a few minutes, before speaking his mind, "They wont understand, Percy."

I had been watching the stream rushing by, but his words caused me to look up, "Who?"

"The Gods. You do so much for them, and still they shun you for one little thing. It wasn't always like that. It doesn't have to be that way."

My heart pounded. I had never thought of how dad would react if I told him. Would he be embarrassed to have a she-he child? How would the other Gods react? Could Luke be right?

"What do you mean?" I asked tentatively, "Do you think they really would?"

"I know they would, Percy. A couple years back, there was a girl who started her transition here. She was one of my sisters. We went to bed one night, and the next morning she was gone. Nobody knows exactly what happened to her. There was a lot of bullying before she disappeared, so everybody thinks it just got too much and she ran off." Luke looked up at me with tears in his eyes, "Even if that was the case, she could survive out there alone. I don't want to see that happen to you."

There was true caring in his eyes, and I felt a rush of heat seep through me, "I'll be careful. They wont find out."

Luke smiled at me weakly, "You're so niave sometimes."

Before I could ask what that meant, his lips were on mine and the foreign word had left my mind. I kissed back without thought. It felt so…wrong, but in a good way. Like I was finally somewhere I could be myself…but this was with the wrong guy.

We split after a minute, and Luke's breath danced across my face, "We could change the world, Percy. The Gods have been in charge for too long."

"Do you have any idea what you're saying? Those are our parents, Luke." I pulled back, determined to get away from the mad man.

"Do you have any idea what you're saying? What have the Gods done for you?"

"We shouldn't expect anything from them! The Gods are no more perfect then we are!" I nearly jumped up in outrage, but gripped tight to the rock in order to stay down. That was one of my fatal moves.

"Percy, Cronus could give you all you could ever hope for. He could make you a man."

That would be his fatal move, "I am a man and no Titan could make it stronger! My manliness is not made true by what is in my pants!"

I made to jump, to run away or fight I don't know, but before I could a scorpion climbed onto my shoe.

"I wish you could have come with me, Percy, your guidance would have helped to shape the new Golden Age. We could have ruled the world as kings. Together."

An hour ago, that would have been an amazing offer. However, Luke had managed to piss me off. I had decided that he was a jerk. How could I have ever liked him? Even as my lips still tingled from his kiss.

"No!" I screamed as loud as I could in the vain hope that somebody could hear.

Luke sighed like this was actually painful for him, "If that's how you want it. Good bye, Percy."

The scorpion was now closing in on my groin. As Luke turned to leave, I knew that I could call back to him and live. I decided to take my chances with the scorpion.

In seconds, it had lunged and I'd swatted it away with the back of my hand. As the scorpion landed, I slashed with Riptide. Almost instantly, I went light headed.

With labored breath, and a spinning world, I staggered for where I could feel the ocean was. There was a subtle brilliance to Luke's plan. At a normal pace, it would take me half-an-hour to get to the nearest strip of ocean, and longer to get to camp. I was as good as dead.

I couldn't tell where I was going or how fast, but when I finally broke down completely there was ocean water near by. It felt ironic that I would die mere feet from safety.

To be hurt

To feel lost

To be left out in the dark

To be kicked when you're down

To feel like you've been pushed around

To be on the edge of breaking down

And no one's there to save you

No you don't know what it's like

Welcome to my life

Welcome to my life

Welcome to my life

"He's not waking up." The female voice I know so well sounded worried.

"Percy had a pulse, so at least he's alive." My best friend's goatish voice answered her.

"Luke," I murmured before snapping out of it, "Luke! He's going to destroy the Gods!"

I made to sit up, but Grover's hand stopped me, "We know."

"We have to stop him!" I was close to fighting him to get up.

"You have to get better first." Annabeth told me in a soothing voice. She looked over at Grover, "I'll go tell Chiron that you're awake."

As she left, Grover turned to me, "What happened?"

The whole story came pouring out of me. Even about Luke kissing me. The only thing I left out, was the fact that I had thought about going with him. That was something I could live without admitting.

After I finished, Grover spoke slowly, "This…isn't good."

"I never would have guessed." I sighed, "What do we do?"

Grover thought for a minute, "Nothing. We wait until we know what his next plan is, then we can figure out ours."

"I don't like that plan." I took a sip from the nectar glass that was on the table next to my infirmary bed.

"I don't either, but it's all that we've got." Grover sighed, "Are you doing okay? I know you really liked Luke."

"I'm fine. He's a dick, and we're all better off without him." Quickly, I changed the subject, "I think I'm going back to my mom's for the school year. With Gabe gone, we should work on getting a good relationship. It'll also help her deal with my transition."

Grover nodded, "I'm heading down to a school in Florida."

"I hear it's nice down there." I got out of bed, and stretched.

"You should go pack, and I have a train to catch." The air around us was dripping with awkwardness.

I smiled, and hugged my best friend tightly, "Thanks for everything, dude. We'll see each other again over the summer."

Grover hugged back, "Christmas too, maybe."

After a brief talk with Chiron where he agreed that we should just wait, I packed, and headed back into the city. The real world had a strange thing about it after spending so much time at camp. The way back to our apartment was easy though. It was about dinner time, when I knocked on our front door.

Mom's arms flung around after seconds of waiting, "I'm glad you're home."

"I missed you, mom." Dinner was amazing, and we talked just like old times. When life had been easier, and Andromeda was sitting where Percy was now.

"Percy," I smiled at the name coming from my mom, "I've been looking into therapists, and I think I've found one."

That made me smile wider, "Really?"

"I've made you an appointment for next week."

I hugged mom tightly, "You're the best."


	3. Carry On My Wayward Son

**Title: **Carry On My Wayward Son

**Author: **FlamboyantlyBiBoy

**Feedback: **Yes please

**Summary:** Andromeda was never a normal child. Her mom worked all the time. Her dad had left. Her step-dad hated her. She just hated being a girl.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Percy Jackson or the characters

**Spoilers: **There's a chapter for each book, so if you haven't read all of them then there could be some.

**Pairing: **One-sided Percy/Luke, possible Percy/Nico, Percy/Jason one-sided, Percy/Thalia experimenting.

**Warnings: **Slash, transgender, suicide talk.

**Author's Note: **This is a topic that really means something to me, and I'm extremely excited to finally write something with it. Song: Carry on My Wayward Son by Kansas

**ENJOY!**

Carry on my wayward son

There'll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don't you cry no more

"There hasn't been any bad reactions, correct?" Ms. Spring asked me in her gently, caring voice.

"Everything's healthy." I beamed.

"Good. You're going off to camp soon?" I nodded, "They all believe you were born male?"

"Everybody but Grover and Chiron since they knew me before my transition." Talking to Ms. Spring had gotten easier over the past year.

"You talk about Grover a lot."

"Well sure. I wouldn't have had the courage to transition without him. He's more of a brother than anything else."

She smiled, "I think it'll be good for you to get out in nature for a while without having to worry about people calling you a girl."

"Yeah, I've been missing all my friends there." She didn't know what actually went on at camp. Ms. Spring just thought it was a larping camp for Greek Mythology nerds. It had surprised me how much the word mythology had come to bother me since I knew that they weren't myths at all.

"Are you going to be at Camp for your birthday?"

"No, that's just after summer session ends." I had been expecting her to bring it up.

"I was thinking it would make for a good birthday if you were to start cross-sex hormones." Ms. Spring smiled as realization hit me.

"Really?" I was smiling so hard that my face would hurt for hours."

"Most boys start puberty at about thirteen, and I think you're ready. If you're mom is alright with it."

Relief and pure joy flooded over me as if a dam was breaking, "When can I start?"

"Before school, hopefully."

"That would be amazing!"

Once I rose above the noise and confusion

Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion

I was soaring ever higher

But I flew too high

My last day of seventh grade start out like all the others; being shoved by the biggest bully in school. That wasn't able to dampen my mood though; mom had agreed to the new treatment as long as I got a job when I got back from Camp to help pay for it.

Due to the fact that it was finals time, English was spent out on the playground murdering each other. Lord of the Flies project. I did something very stupid that I knew I shouldn't have, but they were bullying my only friend, Tyson. The hose by Sloan's feet went crazy, spraying the boys until they were soaked. Tyson stayed completely dry.

In Chemistry, Tyson and I blew up a trashcan, and got a hundred for it. For Gym, we had to play dodge ball, but our coach paid so little attention that it turned into Beat-Up-The-Freaks rather quickly. I was the King of Freaks, and as such their leader!

Sloan and his gang really just wanted to destroy me, but I felt like the King of Freaks and was playing the role. Everybody but Tyson and I on our side was cowering. Tyson kept murmuring something about Sloan's new friends smelling, and I had a sneaking feeling about why. Unfortunately, he had said it after I'd left Riptide in the locker room.

Our enemy were growing as my mind raced. The only monster they could be was the Laistrygorians, but they never some this far south. Of course, the flaming dodge balls taught me to stop trying to be logical and start fighting.

Tyson, the Laistrygorians, and I were the only living things (besides our couch, who wasn't paying attention anyway) not freaking out, and running for their lives. I was looking for a way to fight, when I remembered the water fountains. It was required to have at least two in the gym. If I could blow them up, then the fires might go out.

Just as I decided to try, Tyson had managed to grab two of the balls and thrown them back at their owners. The Laistrygorians exploded, the fire had just become our friends, and I was going to switch to Plan B.

The other kids were banging at the door to the locker room. I ran at them, and the scattered. Clearly, nobody knew who was on each side. That suited me just as well.

"Hey, Numbskull!" I shouted at the nearest cannibal, "Over here! I will shank you until you die!"

Obviously, he didn't take kindly to that. If the fiery ball of death that was suddenly hurtling toward my chest was any clue. I danced out of the way right in time, and the changing room exploded!

Sweaty school uniforms rained down around us. That managed to not distract the giant, I don't know how. I grabbed at my jeans as they flew by. Riptide was out, and in my hand within seconds.

Tyson had managed to explode two other monsters, leaving only two left. They traded fire balls. While one of the monsters exploded, Tyson was forced back into a wall that collapsed. He was moving, but extremely dazed.

I glared at the one remaining enemy, and my dam shattered. All the anger and resentment at the world I'd been keeping in all year came flooding out. I charge him with a strangled battle cry. The beast was so surprised that I was able to stab him before he raised a defensive hand

The other students calmed down once they realized the danger was gone. Administration was at the door and sirens whaled, but all I cared about was if Tyson was okay.

"How you doing, buddy?" I asked, crouching next to him.

"I alright." Tyson stood shakily, "We leave now?"

"That's probably best." We hopped through the hole Tyson had created onto the street.

A blonde haired, gray eyed girl was smirking at us, "Seaweed Brain, I officially declare that you have anger-management issues."

Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man

Though my mind could think I still was a mad man

I hear the voices when I'm dreaming

I can hear them say

Grover was in trouble, Chiron had been fired, and his replacement hated me for bring Tyson into camp even though he had every right to be there. Now that I knew Tyson was a Cyclops and my brother, I had to wonder why I hadn't seen it before. I was panicked, and suffocating. This was suppose to be my home; the one place where I could fully be myself. It was dying right along with the daughter of Zeus' tree.

I had to do something, but our new camp advisor had decided not to let me leave camp. One night after the campfire, Annabeth and I finally did something.

We stood up from our placed in and back row, and everybody looked at us. I spoke with loud confidence, "We know a way to save camp."

"The Golden Fleece." Annabeth continued, "It's in the Sea of Monsters on the Island of Polyphemus."

"We don't need saving." Chiron's replacement, Tantalus, answered.

I felt the anger boiling up in me again, "We're dying! A week, two at most, and our borders will be gone. Without a safe place to go, we'll all see Hades!"

"You're just a sick little kid." Tantalus spat at me.

I tried my best not to act phased, as I slowly stepped down the bleachers, "Yes, we are all sick at losing our home. If you don't get that, then I don't know why you're here."

Nobody spoke as I turned, and stalked away. To normal ears, Tantalus' slur about me being sick would be just that. To me it was a clear sign that he had been told, and was far from accepting.

As I walked into Cabin three, the clothes started coming off. In a matter of seconds, I was in only my boxer briefs and hiding under the covers. My body was curled in a tight ball, and I was trying to keep myself from falling apart.

After a few minutes, the door opened and soft foot steps made their way across the floor. Annabeth. I should have known that she'd come by like the annoying good friend that she was.

"Percy?" I didn't answer, "Seaweed Brain? I have ways to get you to talk." She slipped what looked like a chocolate kiss under the covers with me.

Out of curiosity, I picked it up and opened it. A soft blue color met my eyes. Of course, my best female friend knew my favorite foods. Slowly, I ate it and the chocolate melted in my mouth. Perfect.

"Percy, come out and talk to me." Annabeth sounded desperate.

I sighed, and sat up. The blankets pooled around my waist as I leaned against the wall, "You're bribing me with food?"

"What's up with you?" Annabeth asked, while handing me another chocolate.

I ate it slowly before answering, "I just see it all breaking down. Grover being with Polyphemus, and Thalia's tree poisoned. It's all falling apart. This world. I don't want to lose my home. I have it better with my mom then most demigods have it, but camp is more of a home then with her. I don't want to lose it."

Annabeth smiled lightly, "Then we have to save camp."

I straightened up, "How?"

"We turn rebel. What's the point of staying at camp if it's just going to get overrun anyway?" She smirked, "We leave tonight."

I smiled, "Can we bring Tyson? I don't want to leave him here."

"Sure, we leave at midnight." Annabeth left.

Happily, I got dressed and tossed clothes, money, and nectar into a backpack. I was packing a bag for Tyson when suddenly, I wasn't alone anymore.

"Percy?" A mythical, inhuman voice hit me.

I turned to see a blonde man with a staff that had twin serpents wrapped around it, "Lord Hermes?"

"Hey, Percy." The God sat down on my bed, "So, you're after the Golden Fleece?"

"Yep, we're hoping it'll save Thalia's tree."

"It will." Lord Hermes told me, "I come with good tidings for your journey, and gifts."

"Gifts?" I asked, sitting down across from him. This was an odd feeling, having a God in my cabin, and I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

"Yes, although they're serious gifts and should be used when needed most." Hermes handed me two things; the first was a thermos that was cold on one side while hot on the other, the second was a bottle of vitamins shaped like monsters.

"You're worried about my direction and health?"

Lord Hermes chuckled, "No, Percy. Those pills help fix the wrong. Only take one when in dire need."

Why did he have to phrase it that way? Now I wanted to take one just to see if it would "fix" me. I'd often dreamed of taking medicine, and out comes a penis. Was Lord Hermes now giving me the chance for that to happen?

"It wouldn't fix that problem, kid." Hermes could read my mind now, "They won't make the Transexuality go away."

"How did you-" I gaped at him.

"I'm the God of Medicine, Percy. I look at you, and can tell all the medical conditions you have." Hermes looked me up and down, "ADHA, Dyslexia, Gender Identity, Depression, and Anger-management."

"Thanks." I joked, "Does my dad know?"

"No, none of the others do."

Relief flooded through me, "Would you mind keeping it that way?"

"Of course not." Lord Hermes didn't seem bothered that we were talking about what's in my pants.

"Thanks." I tried to get my mind back into the matters at hand, "What does the thermos do?"

As the God explained about how he'd just handed me the winds, I was playing with the pill bottle. I could take on just to try. Maybe they'd work, and Lord Hermes was just telling me that they wouldn't to keep me from trying. After the story Luke had told me about the last trans demigod, I wasn't so sure about trusting any of the Gods in that department.

"Lord Hermes," I spoke suddenly, "Do you know what Luke's trying to do?"

The God sighed like the thought was depressing, "I know, although I wish I didn't."

"We're going to stop him."

"I know you will, but I still have to hope that Luke will come back to his senses. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related, for better or worse… And try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum." Hermes stood, "You'd better get going. There's a ship passing by that's on its way to Florida. You can hope on it." Then he was gone.

Carry on my wayward son

There'll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don't you cry no more

We had gotten a ride on the Princess Andromeda (ironic, right?), then Luke showed up and we'd been forced to escape on a lifeboat. I steered while Annabeth slept, and Tyson watched the waves.

We were by the coast when Tyson spoke, "Percy?"

"Yeah?" I answered through the singing wind.

"You don't you let people in?"

I stared at him for a minute, before answering slowly, "To keep from getting hurt, I guess. The man on the boat, Luke, I let him in. Then he tried to kill me."

Tyson nodded like that actually made sense, which it didn't. We continued on until Miami came into view. I beached us on an empty strip of land. Annabeth left to get more food while Tyson and I made repairs to our tiny vessel.

"Percy," Annabeth said when she returned, "You should rest, and eat before we continued."

"I'm fine." I murmured while placing what she'd brought in our ship.

"You haven't slept in over twenty-four hours." She argued.

"I'll rest out at sea." I relented. It would be easier out there anyway. Hesitantly, Annabeth agreed, and we were off again. As promised, I slept while Tyson steered.

I dreamed of Grover in a wedding dress. Frightening, I know. He was sitting in front of a huge loom.

"Percy, thank the Gods." Grover spoke rapidly, "I'm in the Sea of Monsters."

"I know." I answered, "We're coming."

The dream faded.

Masquerading as a man with a reason

My charade is the event of the season

And if I claim to be a wise man, well

It surely means that I don't know

We'd entered the Sea of Monsters with a child of Ares, Clarisse. Then lost her again along with Tyson. Annabeth and I agreed to land on the first island we found. Just my luck, it was a spa.

"Of course the young man will need a complete makeover." the perky woman's voice chilled me so much that not even being called young man warmed it away. The word makeover also made me sick, since it reminded me far to much of when my mom used to dress me up.

The threat of food was the only thing that could make me walk through those doors, and past the gangs of sunbathing women. Of course, that threat was made, and in we went. Up past rows of women getting their nails painted until we reached a beautiful goddess weaving. I don't mean that she was a goddess, but that she as what most people thought a goddess would look like.

"I'm C.C. My assistants will take care of the young girl, while I look after the gentleman." Again being called a gentleman didn't make me any less weary.

"But, Percy?" Annabeth tried to protest. I didn't want her to leave, but a couple of women pulled her away.

C.C. turned to me, "Now, Perseus, time for your makeover."

I was pulled in front of a mirror. It was odd to be looking at myself after so long. My hair had grown a little, my clothes were disgusting, and my skin had been baked by the sun. I looked like a none developed, beach girl.

"Surely, you can't be happy the way you are." C.C. whispered to me.

I took in the acne, the bags under my eyes, the small cuts that could be seen on my ankles, "No."

"I can fix you, make you handsome. You'd have all the Gods and mortals falling all over you." She had me at fix.

"What do I have to do?"

C.C. went over, and got a smoothie from a bar before handing it to me, "Just drink that."

"No catch?" It seemed too good to be true.

"No catch."

I thought hard, "Everything has a catch."

"Do you want to be fixed or not?"

"…yes."

"Then drink it." At her command, I drank.

Something was happening, but I certainly wasn't being fixed. I was shrinking, and growing fur. C.C. picked my now guinea pig shaped body up, "Perfect. See, Percy, all men are pigs-"

I stopped listening…all men are pigs. If that potion had worked…did that mean I was doing the right thing by transitioning? As much as I was loving being seen as male, I worried sometimes when my mom messed up, or when I got called a sissy at school…

Suddenly, I was going down. Down into the depths of a…hamster cage. Soon I understood why when Annabeth came into the room. The first words out of her mouth were, "Where's Percy?" Nice to know she cared.

"He's getting worked on." C.C. answered simply, "You look lovely, darling."

Annabeth looked like a woman. I'd always thought of her as a girl, but now it was completely clear that she was. Her hair had been braided with a golden ribbon down her back, the dress she wore was a light purple and in the ancient Greek style, and her face was done up with not to much make up.

Annabeth blushed as she murmured her thanks. I started to focus on trying to get her attention instead of what they were saying, but nothing worked. Jumping, screaming, scratching.

Finally, Annabeth's striking face loomed above me, "Percy, which one are you?"

How could she not know me? I was the one that looked normal; without huge scars that is. Annabeth glanced back at C.C. who was picking herself up from her loom, before dumping the vitamins that Hermes gave us into the cage. I grabbed one before the others could get them all. I nibbled, and started to grow.

Then terror struck me. When I had shrunk, my clothes out grew me. I would be naked. Panic was flooding through me when my paws landed on the floor. Somebody had knocked over the cage which cause me and the five other "men" onto the floor.

I was growing still, and scampering for my clothes. This was not the way for Annabeth to find out. My worse nightmares were coming true. Somehow I managed to get over the them…right when my body changed back. I hurried to get my boxer briefs on before anybody (Annabeth) could see what I hid.

By the time my clothes were back on, the other pigs were running ramped and setting things on fire. Annabeth and I ran out to the dock where our raft had sunk. Instead, we jumped a pirate's ship, and were off. More irony; our ship was The Queen Anne's Revenge.

"Annabeth…" I was pretending that my heart wasn't pounding, and that I could breath.

"What's up?" It was the first time she'd spoken since we left Circe's island.

I signed, "You looked really pretty back there. Not in a Wise Girl kind of way, but still…"

"Thanks, Seaweed Brain. Listen, about what happened back there-"

"Can I tell you something first?" I broke in.

"Oh, sure."

"It's just that I'm…" Suddenly, my mind was flooded with what it would be like if everybody knew; I wouldn't be respected, bullying names…girl, "I'm gay."

At the same time, Annabeth said, "I know."

"What?" Panic flooded me again, and I was having issues breathing.

"I-I heard you and Grover talking about Luke. Some of the things you said caused me to figure it out." She was blushing again slightly.

Relief. Pure and utter relief flooded through my body, "Oh, of course."

"I didn't say anything, because I knew you'd tell me when you were ready."

I looked out at the cliffs toward our stern, "I think we have another trial to face."

On a stormy sea of moving emotion

Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean

I set a course for winds of fortune

But I hear the voices say

Rock climbing is my new phobia. I guess it's really a height phobia, but whatever. Also, I am now terrified of sheep!

Until we got there, I was thinking the whole thing would be easy. Walk in, get Grover and the Fleece, walk out. No can do! Titanic, man-eating sheep were in our way on one side' gigantic, looming cliffs on the other. We were going to die! Well…I was going to die. Of course, Annabeth chose the cliffs.

"I'm going to die!" I yelled at the blonde hair twenty feet above me.

"No you won't!"

By the time we reached a ledge, I was willing to embrace Hades in a bone crushing hug. Instead, I flopped on the rock, breathing hard.

"Percy, come look at this." Annabeth called softly.

"Hold on," I answered, "I'm dying."

"Looks like Grover and Clarisse are dying as well." That got me us.

The annoying, brunette, daughter of Ares was strung up over a pot of boiling water. My best friend was still in his wedding dress with his "fiancée" next to him. Polyphemus had just found out that Grover was…well a boy, and Grover.

"We have to help them" I whispered.

"I have an idea." Annabeth answered.

Polyphemus bellowed, "Wedding postponed until tonight." Then tossed Clarisse and Grover into the cave.

"Better than I have right now."

"That, Seaweed Brain, is why I am the strategist."

Night fall found me hiding under a goat's belly. Not a good place to be, especially when it's moving. However, it got me inside.

"Hello, Ugly." Annabeth's voice was beautiful when coming to save me from a very smelly suffocation.

The great monster, a mere two feet behind me, spoke in his bellowing voice, "Who said that?"

"Nobody!" Annabeth yelled. That got Polyphemus to throw his front door, "Missed me!"

Pounding footsteps served as my cue to unravel my hands from the tough wool and start wondering the labyrinth of the Cyclops' cave. Finally, I stumbled upon Grover and Clarisse.

"Percy!" Grover practically jumped me. Of course I hugged back.

"Now that your little gay moment is over…Somebody untie me!" Clarisse shouted.

"I got you!" I shouted back before shopping her bonds.

We all ran for the main room, and got there just in time to see Annabeth get knocked out on the rocks just inside the cave. I was about to tell Clarisse and Grover to save themselves when she said, "Attack Plan Macedonia."

I found myself nodding in silent agreement. Grover when right; Clarisse left; I had the suicide mission of a straight charge. I yelled in a faint attempt at mimicking Annabeth's taunts, "Hey, Numbskull! I shall shank you until you die!"

"Who said that?" Not a smart Cyclops.

"It's me. Nobody." I charged with Clarisse in perfect time. Grover charged a second after us. He was the first to get knocked down. Grover went over to pick up Annabeth (he's not much of a fighter). They headed over a rope bridge that spanned a chasm…A chasm!

"I've got an idea!" I called to Clarisse, "Over the bridge."

She nodded. We were both getting tired of the jump-in-stab-jump-out attempt, and any hope was something we could work with. Swerving around Polyphemus, we bolted for the bridge. As our footing swayed back and forth, Grover got my mental message; cut the ropes. When my foot finally met earth, one of the ropes snapped. I sliced the other, and listened to the bridge fall.

Unfortunately, Polyphemus didn't fall with it. The great beast swatted Clarisse and Grover a side. Anger flooded through me. It was too much. We couldn't lose now!

My body was moving before my mind even realized I'd decided to. Polyphemus laughed, and tried to swat me away. I dodged, and drove Riptide deep into his hand. The beast above me roared.

It was easy to take him down then. A stab to the knee, then another to the groin and he was down. My body had taken over while my mind shut down. However when I had my sword hovering above Polyphemus' single eye, my mind kicked back in. He was crying, begging, my heart was breaking.

"Kill him, idiot!" Clarisse yelled at me, "Don't go soft now, Jackson!"

I sighed, "We just want the Fleece. You'll give it to us, and then we'll leave."

"Yes, yes of course." Polyphemus spluttered.

"You're an idiot!" Clarisse yelled as I stepped back.

"I can't murder my own brother." I whispered to her.

Before I knew it, my hands were blood while gripping tight to the cliff edge. Gods, pain wracked my body. My hands were torn up, and my groin burned with fire.

"Silly, mortal." Polyphemus boomed, "You shall not take my Fleece!"

A second booming voice echoed in reply, "Bad, Polyphemus!"

I tried to pull myself up, but the pain flared higher in my crotch causing me to cry out. Grover helped me up, and the pain eased to a dull ache that reminded me of getting hit with the butt of a blade.

"You okay?" Grover asked me.

"Lets just say that I'm really glad that I won't have to deal with period cramps." I answered in a whisper.

My best friend made a face of sympathy while pulling me out of the way of an in coming Polyphemus tumbling over the cliff edge. Tyson stood proud down by the beach, holding the Fleece. I could have cried!

Carry on, you will always remember

Carry on, nothing equals the splendor

The center lights around your vanity

But surely heaven waits for you

A good night's sleep in my own bed in a safe camp was waiting for me. No fighting, fear, or mourning. The slosh of the sea sending me off, and the giggle of nymphs bringing me back.

Two nights before I returned to the real world, camp was in a rush. I ran with the rest up our hill in only PJ pants and a blue jacket. A dark, nude, female figure was crouched at the foot of Thalia's tree.

I ran right up to her, and crouched next to her. The girl had black hair, sharp blue eyes, and was deathly pale. She seemed to be freaking out, and wasn't bothering to cover herself. Rather than let everybody gawk at her, I quickly rested my jacket over her private parts.

That calmed her down some, and her huge eyes met mine. I licked my lips as a lump form in my stomach, "Hi."

"Hey." She answered in a horse voice.

"I'm Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. You're at Camp Half Blood. You're safe here."

She licked her own lips, "My name's Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus."

I wasn't phases. Shock could come in later once she was getting medical help, "Can you walk? We need to get a healer to take a look at you."

She nodded, and I helped her up. We headed back up to the Big House with Thalia leaning on me heavily. My jacket hardly covered her, and I found myself looking at her exposed body.

Due to my medicine to keep puberty from coming, I couldn't actually be physically attracted to anybody. Still, Thalia was beautiful. Plus, this was the first time I'd seen a female body that wasn't my own or my mom's.

"You shouldn't be looking at me like that." Thalia murmured, and I realized that she's seen me looking, "How old are you?"

"Nearly thirteen." I answered weakly.

Thalia smirked as a Hermes camper came running up to us to take care of her, "Try again later."

I watched them leave, before sitting down on the Big House steps. Grover showed up before long, and sat next to me. He seemed to realize something had happened between Thalia and I.

"Did she flirt with you?"

"There must be something about the return to human form, and she must not have realized that we're cousins." I reasoned.

"Yeah, sure." Grover shrugged, "Who knows what goes on in girls' minds?"

"I do want to be friends with her though."

"You will." Grover sounded to confident that I couldn't argue with him.

I looked at him, "I need to ask you a favor…"

Carry on my wayward son

There'll be peace when you are done

Lay your weary head to rest

Don't you cry (don't you cry no more)

I paced around the waiting room hands twisting together. Doctor offices had always made me sick. This appointment was more nerve wracking than all the others put together.

Grover and mom were sitting in chairs along one wall. She was flipping through a magazine calmly, but Grover seemed nervous for me. We'd been there far half an hour already. Most of that time, I'd been having a conversation with the fish in their corner tank.

After a while I got tired, and flopped into the seat next to Grover. He looked over at me, and smiled, "Are you scared?"

"Not really." I answered, "I just want it to be over with. What school are you going to this year?"

"Westover Hall up in Bar Harbor Maine. It's a military school." Grover was used to my jumping between topics.

"Fun." I answered sarcastically, "At least the girls aren't going to be too far away."

"You'll always have somebody willing to go shopping with you." Grover smirked mockingly. He was never going to let go of the fact that I had agreed to go shopping with Thalia and Annabeth that afternoon.

Before I could retort, a nurse came to the door, "Mr. Jackson."

We were taken to a room where the nurse gave me a regular check up. I had to focus on not squirming while she checked the more private parts. Finally, it was shot time. The nurse left to get a doctor. I could sit still. My legs were jumping, and I was twisting my hands together again.

Grover sat next to me, and I looked at him, "My heart is pounding."

"You'll be fine." Grover smiled.

The doctor came in then with the medicine. I laid back down as the doctor cleaned my left arm. My mom's hand slipped into mine as the needle slid into my vain.

It was when Grover and I were heading to meet the girls for lunch, when he finally asked, "Do you feel any different?"

"Not really, but I will." I hopped up on a small wall, "I'll start taking the gel next week, and then the changes will start. My voice will be changing by next summer."

Grover put a hand over his heart, and pretended to get teary eyed, "My little boy's growing up."

I jumped down, and shoved him. But I couldn't keep from smiling.


End file.
